Finding Love
by 100EMERALD
Summary: While doing paperwork one afternoon, Momo starts thinking about a particular topic: love. What is it, and how can she find it?  oneshot
1. What is Love?

**A/N** So I'm very new to the site, and this is my first fanfiction. I'm not really sure how everything works, so if you have any tips on how to make this look better, or if you see any spelling/grammar mistakes, please tell me. Leave a review or message me, I won't bite.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or its characters. But I wish I did.

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><p>"What a strange thing love is," thought Momo to herself as she did her paper work. "It can make people do such strange things."<p>

As Momo continued to do her work, her mind continued to wander. She wondered what love felt like, what it felt like to BE in love. Had she been "in love" with Aizen-taicho? No, it was merely respect for a captain. He was her captain and she looked up to him like any lieutenant would to their captain.

"Has Shiro-chan ever been in love?" she wondered. "Or Kira-kun, Abarai-kun, and Rangiku-san?" Momo thought to go out and ask her friends after she was done with her paperwork. Perhaps they'd be able to satisfy her curiosity.

Momo was done with her work an hour later. She was glad because now she would be able to ask her friends about love. "Who should I find first?" she wondered.

Suddenly she heard a knock on the 5th division's door. It was opened up to reveal a slightly flustered Kira carrying a stack of paper. Momo quickly got up to help him carry the stack over to her desk.

"Hey, Kira-kun! What brings you here? I thought I completed today's paperwork!"

"Oh, these are going to other divisions. I was just dropping by to say hello," Kira replied casually.

"Oh, well that's great because I was just about to find you so I could ask you about something."

"Oh, sure. Ask away," Kira said.

"Well, you see, I was thinking about this today and I became a bit curious. I was just wondering what 'love' is exactly. Do you know? Do you know what love feels like?" Momo looked up at her friend who was much taller than her.

"Love?" Kira was a bit confused. He pondered over Momo's question for a while before answering. "I guess it's a feeling towards someone or something. I can't really tell you much; I've never been in love before."

"Oh, that's ok! I was just wondering!" Momo smiled.

A few minutes later the two said their good-byes. Kira took his paperwork and Momo decided to look for Renji. Maybe he'd know something. Then again, Renji didn't seem like the type to really 'love' someone. "I'm sure he loves his friends, like Rukia! Does he love Rukia?" Momo wondered.

On her way to the 10th division's office, Momo continued to wonder about love. As the day went on, she became more and more curious. "Curiouser and curiouser," she thought. She giggled to herself.

A knock was heard on the 10th division's door later in the afternoon. Momo stepped in and found Rangiku reading a magazine on the couch. Toshiro was nowhere to be found.

"Hey, Rangiku-san! I was just stopping by for a visit if that's alright!"

"Of course it is, Momo! You and I need to catch up!" Rangiku looked up from her magazine. She motioned for Momo to sit down on the couch next to her.

When Momo was seated, she remembered to ask Rangiku her important question. She briefly wondered if it was stupid to be this curious.

"So, how've you been, Momo-chan?" Rangiku asked.

"Busy! There's so much paperwork to do without a Captain to help out! But I finished it today, so I thought I'd stop by to talk to you and Shiro-chan!" Momo replied happily.

"I guess that's how Captain feels when I don't help. But you gotta have fun, too!" Both girls giggled at Rangiku's reply.

"Hey, can I ask you something, Rangiku-san? It might sound childish, but please don't laugh," Momo said.

"I'm sure it's not. What's on your mind?" Rangiku replies casually.

"Well, today I became rather curious. I've been thinking about 'love' a lot today, and I discovered that I really don't know much about it! Do you know what 'love' is like, Rangiku-san?" Momo asked, feeling a little embarrassed.

"That's not stupid at all, Momo-chan. The thing is, love is different for everyone. Some say it's when you care about your friends a lot. Others think it's that warm feeling you get inside when you think about someone.

"I think love is much more than that. I think being 'in love' is when you can look at someone and realize that no one else matters as much as the person standing in front of you. They invade your thoughts and dreams. You can't help but smile when you think about them." A smile appeared on Rangiku's face and she looked down at her lap. (Insert your ship here. Ginran for me!)

"That sounds beautiful. I wish I knew what it really felt like. Do you think Shiro-chan knows?" Momo asked hopefully.

"I have no idea what Captain thinks. All I know is that sometimes I find him distracted with a faint blush on his face. Who knows what he thinks?" Rangiku and Momo giggled.

Toshiro walked in at that moment. "Who blushes?" he asked. Momo and Rangiku giggled again.

"Oh, no one. I was just catching Momo-chan up on he latest gossip. But I have to go now; I'm late for a drink with Hisagi! See you guys later!" and with that, she was gone.

Toshiro went to sit down at his desk. He began to work on some paperwork, and Momo sat on the couch. After minutes passed by, she began to feel a bit awkward. When she looked up at her childhood friend, the awkwardness faded and a smile appeared on her face.

His face was turned the slightest shade of pink. It was so subtle that you couldn't notice it at a quick glance, but Momo saw it. It was there, and she wondered what on earth he was thinking of.

"Hinamori, are you ok? You have a stupid grin on your face."

"Shiro-chan! That was mean! And yes, I'm fine, but can I ask you a question?"

Toshiro was silent a moment before he spoke up. "Sure, whatever."

Well, so the thing is, I was really curious today, and as I was doing my paperwork I started to think really hard-"

"Spit it out, Hinamori." Toshiro said calmly.

"Oh, right, haha. I was just wondering, do you know anything about love? Do you know what it's like to be in love?" Momo asked. She glanced over to his desk.

Toshiro blushed a little harder at the last question. "No, I don't know what it's like," he replied quickly. Momo didn't buy it, for she saw the pink taint spread across his checks.

"Shiro-chan! You know something, I can tell!"

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho! And no, I don't know what you mean!" he replied back in slight annoyance.

"Who's the girl?" Momo asked innocently. She smiled at her friend.

"Hinamori, I have paperwork to do." Toshiro dodged the question.

"There must be a girl! You wouldn't have avoided my question otherwise! Unless it's a boy, I mean that's totally fine if you're gay-"

"Hinamori," Toshiro cut her off. "I'm not gay."

"Oh, well then who's the girl? You can tell me, I won't say anything! I promise."

"Hinamori," Toshiro sighed in defeat. There was no getting out of this one. "Come here," he said.

"Shiro-chan...?"

"Just come here." Toshiro replied quickly.

Momo did as she was told. She got up, and walked over to Toshiro's desk. He stood up, and looked down at her... Wait what? When did he grow so much?

Momo suddenly became a little nervous. Who was this? It certainly wasn't a little boy. When did he grow up?

"Momo," Toshiro whispered. Momo's breath caught. Deeper voice. How could she have not noticed earlier?

"Silly bed-wetter." Toshiro moved closer. His eyes, were they always this green, or blue, or whatever they were?

"Baka Momo." He was so close now. Just how tall was he? 'I need to get out more.' thought Momo.

And before Momo could begin to register half of what her brain was taking in, he kissed her. Kissed? Yes, kissed. Momo wasn't sure what to think, but she didn't really mind what was happening.

She allowed herself to give in. Yes, maybe she would enjoy this. Because she had to admit, this felt really good. Like being on cloud 9. She didn't think she'd ever felt this nice before.

When Toshiro pulled away Momo almost wanted to say 'No!' but she remained quiet and looked into his eyes. This person standing before her wasn't a boy. She didn't quite know what he was, but he wasn't the Shiro-chan she had come to know and love.

Love. Did she really just think that? Yes, she must love Shiro-chan. She's known him for a very long time. But this wasn't just a little boy, this person standing before her was almost a man. Not quite, but almost there.

Perhaps she did love him. Perhaps she had known what love was all along. Love was being with the one person you cared about the most.

"Have you found an answer yet, bed wetter?" Toshiro whispered. Momo smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I think so," she whispered back, and leaned up again for another kiss. Which Toshiro happily returned.


	2. Toshiro's Mysterious Sickness

**A/N **This is basically the same story, but from Toshiro's POV. This chapter has a few cuss words in it, but other than that it's fine.

Also, please please please review. I need to know how good or bad my stories are so I know if I should post more later on. I found out that the first chapter got over 80 hits, but only one review. Even if you would just leave a one word review like "good" or "okay" it still lets me know how I'm doing. In order to write good stories I need to know what to fix.

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Bleach, but I don't. We all want to own it though, don't we?

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><p>Toshiro had been feeling quite odd these past couple of months. At first he thought he was sick, but he had never had a sickness like this before. Could anyone else catch what he had?<p>

After about a week when it first started, Toshiro's strange sickness had not gone away. He thought to give it another week to see if it would be gone by then. If it hadn't disappeared by then, he would have to talk to Captain Unohana. She would know how to fix it.

Toshiro's problem was that sometimes he felt his heart flutter or skip a beat. Sometimes as he let his thoughts wander the temperature in his face would begin to rise causing his cheeks to turn red. He found himself getting distracted, his mind occupied, while he did his paperwork. You see, every once in a while a certain friend would worm her way into his mind.

Toshiro was most definitely **not **a pervert. When he thought about this person, they weren't dirty thoughts. Usually they were just happy thoughts of her smiling and laughing, like the good old days. Sometimes she would shout "Shiro-chan!" The more he thought about her, the more his heart began to flutter.

Sometimes his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, would snap him out of his thoughts. According to her a faint "blush" could be seen across his cheeks. What did she know? She was probably just being her drunken self as always. 'Maybe,' Toshiro thought, 'she could spend more time helping me and less time bugging me about what my face looks like.'

These things went on for about two months. One day though, as Rangiku pestered Toshiro about his "blush" Captain Ukitake happened to walk in.

"What's the matter, Shiro-chan?" he asked teasingly. (Only he and his friend Momo ever dared to call him by that dreaded nickname.) "You're face looks quite red. Are you getting sick?"

"It's nothing," grumbled Toshiro.

"Nothing, my ass!" Rangiku cut in. She turned to Ukitake. "You should just see him! He does this every single day! I'll just be minding my own business and look up to see him with that dazed look on his face!" she mused.

"That's **enough**, Matsumoto. Don't you have somewhere to be?" Toshiro snapped.

Ukitake merely chuckled. "I think it's time for someone to learn about the birds and the bees," he said with a grin.

"This should be interesting," Rangiku interjected. Her interest to stay in the room increased.

"Matsumoto, get out," Toshiro stated sharply.

"Awww, Taichooo-"

"OUT."

Rangiku pretended to be upset as she walked out of the room. She was a little disappointed that she couldn't stay to see how things were going to go. Her captain's face would be priceless, and she could take pictures for a new edition of Seireitei Monthly. She doubted Toshiro would ever let her get away with taking any, though.

"Ukitake, I know… how everything works," muttered Toshiro.

"Aww, my little Shiro-chan is growing up!" Ukitake cooed.

"I've known for years. And don't call me Shiro-chan!" Toshiro wailed.

Toshiro had grown up quite a bit these past few years. He had grown in height, now being somewhere around 5'6". His voice had matured and become deeper, and his body developed.

"Oh, that's just too bad. I've had a speech prepared for quite some time now." Ukitake let out a heavy sigh to be dramatic.

"Is this all you came for? I have work to do so I don't have much time to talk at the moment," Toshiro replied warily.

"Oh, I just wanted to stop by and see how you're doing. If you're busy I'll just head on out." Ukitake walked towards the door. "Don't work too hard, Toshiro," he added.

Toshiro didn't get any better after that day. In fact, he got worse. Sometimes he would get to thinking, and think so much about things that his heart grew heavy and sad. He thought about old times before everything went down, and became upset because his friend could not be with him at this time.

His friend was not dead. They just hadn't seen each other much in the last few years. She had been recovering from bad wounds, and he was busy with Captain's duties and such. The last time they had really spoken was when his friend had first been put in the hospital after the Winter War. He didn't visit her because he knew he was at fault for her being there.

Rangiku was no help with this whatsoever. Every day it was just the same pesterings about Toshiro's flustered face. It was like she had nothing better to do than bother him about meaningless topics. Finally he opted to go see Captain Unohana because he couldn't take it anymore.

"Unohana," he said when he was in her office with her, "I think I've become sick. Actually, I think I've been sick for months now."

"Well, what seems to be the problem, Hitsugaya-taicho?" she replied. A small smile tugged on her lips as Toshiro conveyed his story to her. Finally she answered, "I'm sorry, there's nothing I am able to do."

"What do you mean? It's distracting me from concentrating on my work. There has to be something I can do to make it stop."

Unohana let a small chuckle escape her lips. "If you wanted to make it stop I'm sure you could. I think that the best solution at this point, though would be to try and satisfy your hearts desires."

What the heck did that mean? Toshiro decided that pestering Unohana for more information wouldn't get him anywhere. He thanked 4th division's captain and headed back to his office.

When he got back, he heard his best friend talking to Rangiku. He decided to stand outside the door and listen to their conversation.

"- Do you know what love is, Rangiku-san?" Momo asked.

"That's not stupid at all, Momo-chan. The thing is, love is different for everybody. Some people say it's when you care about your friends a lot. Others say it's that warm feeling you get when you think of a certain person.

"I think love is…" Toshiro listened to his lieutenant's speech. As it went on, he had a realization.

Toshiro hadn't really been "sick" at all. He was just a little bit in love… with Momo Hinamori. Was that even correct?

"-faint blush on his face." Come on. Just how many people was she going to tell?

"Who blushes?" He chose to walk in at that moment and pretend he hadn't heard everything else they'd said.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just catching Hinamori-chan up on the latest gossip! But I have to go now; I'm late for a drink with Hisagi!" Rangiku got up and dashed out of the room.

'I swear, she's more trouble than she's worth.' Toshiro thought as he moved to sit down at his desk. He began to work on the paperwork that Rangiku "oh-so-graciously" left for him to do. Figures. And he did **not** notice Hinamori still sitting on the couch. If he even thought about her, those stupid thoughts would make their way into his head.

Eventually, he looked up to see Momo grinning at him like she had just learned one of his darkest secrets. "Hinamori, are you ok? You have a stupid (cute) grin on your face."

"Shiro-chan! (That nickname!) That was mean. And yes, I'm fine, but could I ask you a question?" Momo answered.

For a moment Toshiro was quiet. He was **not **thinking about how cute she looked at that moment. Nope. "Sure, whatever," he mustered up.

Momo began to ramble. It didn't really bother Toshiro because he liked the way her voice sounded, but was she ever going to get to a point?

"Spit it out, Hinamori," he said almost too flatly.

"Oh, right, haha. I was just wondering, do you know anything about love? Do you… do you know what it's like to **be **in love?" she asked.

Toshiro blushed a little at the last question. Funny story, he just figured it out not long ago. He lied and said, "No, I don't know what it's like to be in love."

"Shiro-chan!" She must have caught his bluff. "You must know something! I can tell."

Darn that nickname. "It's Hitsugaya-taicho! And no, I don't know what you mean!" She was so onto him.

"Who's the girl?" she cooed and changed the subject. As she said it she flashed a (beautiful) smile. 'The girl is you…'

"Hinamori, I have paperwork to do." He **had **to find a way to dig himself out of this hole.

"There must be a girl! You wouldn't have avoided my question otherwise. Unless it's a boy, I mean it's totally fine if you're gay-" How did she get "you're gay" out of "I have to do paperwork?"

"Hinamori," he spoke up, and cut her off. "I'm not gay."

"Who's the girl then?" she immediately asked. Damn her persistence. "You can tell me; I won't say anything. I promise."

"Hinamori, come here." There was no escape. That was obvious now.

"Shiro-chan?" she asked, confused.

"Just come here," he replied quickly. She had to know.

What was it Unohana had said? "Satisfy your heart's desires." That's exactly what he was about to do. Now that he understood what she meant, he couldn't avoid this any longer.

As Momo made her way over to his desk, he stood up to face her. He was taller than her now, (finally) and he liked being able to look down at her for once. Heck, this was the first time he had gotten a good look at her for a long time at all.

He could tell he was making her nervous. He didn't care, now. He was **going** to tell her, show her his feelings.

"Momo," he whispered, and heard her breathing cease.

"Silly bed-wetter." He moved a little closer and stared into her eyes.

"Baka Momo," he whispered so quietly he wasn't even sure he said it at all. Her muscles became tense.

At this point he had no idea what he was doing. He did the first thing that came to his mind: he kissed her. This made him feel like he was on fire inside.

Momo seemed to relax a little. Eventually she just gave into him, so he pulled her closer. She hadn't pulled away and he took it as a good sign. If he could, he would have stayed like that forever, but he decided it would be best for Momo to choose what would happen next, so he pulled away.

Toshiro looked straight into Momo's chocolate eyes. They were surprised and confused… but happy. "Have you found your answer yet, Bed-wetter?" he asked.

"I think so," she replied, and smiled. She moved to kiss him again, and Toshiro smiled, happily pleasing her wish.


End file.
